12 Cheap JB Hotels From $32/Night Near Popular Malls Like City Square, KSL, & AEON

Affordable hotels near malls in Johor Bahru

The occasional VivoCity and ION Orchard haul in Singapore is great, but nothing beats shopping in mega malls just across the Causeway in JB - you get three times the satisfaction with a 1:3 exchange rate.

But making the trip down to Johor Bahru itself can be a huge commitment, what with Causeway jams and insanely long lines at immigration. You can easily chalk up hours just being on the road, so a day trip sometimes just isn’t enough.

To make the hassle worthwhile, we’ve compiled a list of hotels near the most popular malls in JB if you’re thinking of extending your JB trip to a short staycay.

- Near JB City Square -

1. Belllo Hotel JB Central - $55/night, 1 min walk

Literally a 1-minute walk away from the mall, Belllo Hotel JB Central is best for the lazies. If you’re craving some local delights, there are rows of shophouse eateries lining the path to the mall - including the famous Johor Bahru Kam Long Curry Fish Head, which only serves Curry Fish Head with rice (RM20 / ~S$6.50).

2. Swiss Inn JB - $48/night, 3 min walk

The hotel is a pebble’s throw away from JB City Square - you can either slip on a pair of flip flops and walk to the mall in under 3 minutes, or better yet, get a free ride there via the hotel’s shuttle service.

3. The Grand Jade Hotel - $56/night, 2 min walk

Located right at the edge of the Johor Causeway, this charming hotel offers either a double bed or twin bed accommodation at $56/night. The rooms are equipped with all your basic amenities, including a vanity desk for you to get prepped for the day’s outing.

This hotel is a mere 2 minute walk away from JB City Square, perfect for all the shopaholics intending to make multiple trips to the mall and back with arms full of goodies.

And when you’re hungry, hop on over to the famous Jadi Baru Botak to try their signature dish - Assam Claypot Curry Fish Head at only RM24 (~S$8).

- KSL City Mall -

4. Trove Johor Bahru - $57/night, 8 min walk

With an in-house restaurant serving breakfast and dinner buffets, as well as a swimming pool, Trove ($57/night) has all you need to bask in your own world for a day or two before heading back to Singapore.

Bask in the sunlight on the pool deck or swim a couple of laps in the poolImage credit: Hotels.com

That doesn’t mean you should stay indoors all day though. After all, the hotel is so close to KSL City Mall is so near that you can reach there in less than 8 minutes by walking and 4 minutes by car.

Located on the 8th floor, Trove’s in-house restaurant Lada and Clove serves international cuisine for breakfast and dinner buffetsImage credit: Trove Johor Bahru

The room is pretty spacious considering the amount you’re paying ($51), so you’ll have plenty of storage space for all your groceries, clothing hauls and some bags of Johor prawn crackers to pack home.

6. Grand Paragon Hotel - $63/night, 2 min walk

Grand Paragon has been one of the usual picks for Singaporeans crossing the border for a JB weekend getaway. At $63/night, you get a Twin Room with two decently sized beds so that you and your travel buddy can sleep comfortably without having to worry about blanket stealing.

7. KSL Hot Spring Resort - $47/night, 5 min drive

The room is furnished with a king-sized bed, a wood-panelled shower, and a large rectangular vanity mirror with light panels on both sides - great for glamming up before heading to AEON Tebrau City just a 5 minutes drive away from the hotel.

8. The Ardens Hotel - $54/night, 4 min drive

Rooms at The Ardens Hotel are tastefully decorated with velvety floor-length curtains and gold-coloured lamps. The bathroom is the highlight though - with pastel blue walls, black and white floor tiles, and Victorian-style mirror, it could probably be featured on a design magazine. Yet, guests need only pay $54/night to stay in their Grandeur Queen Room. What a steal.

9. Austin 18 Business Traveler @ JB - $60/night, 8 min drive

Austin 18 is basically a home away from home. Its cheapest room, at $60/night, is actually a mini apartment the size of two HDB rooms - with a king sized bed, a living room, a kitchenette and a dining area.

A great option for anyone who’s looking to stay a little longer than a weekend, this place is an 8-minute drive or 15-minute walk from AEON Tebrau City.

Squeeze in a quick workout on the treadmills or exercise bikes at the gym before leavingImage credit: Agoda

There are also a couple of restaurants like The Potter Kitchen at level 1 where you can munch on both Western dishes like Roasted Chicken Leg (RM26.90, ~S$9) and local cuisine like Assam Laksa (RM15.90, ~S$5.20).

11. The Square Hotel - $36/night, 7 min drive

The Square Hotel is yet another affordable boutique which debunks the “budget hotel” stereotype of dingy and dodgy. At $36/night, the Mini Queen Room with Window is a cosy oasis for guests who are looking for a comfortable rest after a long day of hustling about.

The bathroom is neatly sectioned off into 3 areas which enlarges the space

This hotel is conveniently located a 7-minute drive from Sutera Mall. There are plenty of food options around the hotel as well - it’s only a 5 minutes walk away from ShenYe Kitchen, a famous late-night food truck serving up piping hot Tonkotsu Ramen (RM13, ~S$14) and yakitori from 9pm till ingredients run out.

12. The Leverage Hotel Skudai - $32/night, 2 min walk

The Leverage Hotel Skudai has excellent ratings from over 2000 reviews on Agoda - impressive, but not surprising. For $32/night, you’re definitely getting more than what you pay for - a cosy room with a queen bed and a bathroom veiled behind glass panels.

The hotel is located at a prime spot as well. For starters, it’s only a 2-minute walk from Sutera Mall and 5-minute drive from Paradigm Mall. Just around the corner of the hotel is YOLO, a lovely brunch spot, and Wa Zen Izakaya Japanese Restaurant, one of JB’s popular Japanese eateries.

Accessible budget hotels in JB under $65/night

The hotels on the list are all within 10 minute walking or driving distance from the most popular malls. The close proximity of these hotels to the popular malls in JB will allow you to shop comfortably even during peak periods since you don’t have to worry about frantically rushing back to Singapore after a short-lived day trip.

For those on the lookout for other things to do in JB, we’ve got you covered with these informative JB guides